"Transmission of Knowledge Has Such People (Correspondence between Li Ji, Ling Chunsheng, Gao Quxun, Xia Nai, and Zhang Guangzhi)"

Author: Li Hui, edited by Chen Xingcan
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2005-12-01
Features: Li Ji, Ling Chunsheng, Gao Qixun, Xia Nai, and Zhang Guangzhi are five representative figures in Chinese archaeology and anthropology, renowned in the international academic community. This book includes nearly 200 letters exchanged between the first four and Zhang Guangzhi. The correspondence spans from the 1950s to the 1980s, a period when Chinese archaeology achieved remarkable global recognition. The content covers many little-known historical events in the academic field, serving as a vivid portrayal of this significant era. The letters authentically reflect the thoughts, emotions, research orientations, and living conditions of the first and second generations of archaeologists and anthropologists, both on the mainland and overseas. Meanwhile, Zhang Guangzhi's journey from studying in the United States to becoming an outstanding Chinese scholar on the global academic stage can also be traced through his correspondence with these mentors. Xia Nai and Zhang Guangzhi began exchanging letters in the late Cultural Revolution era, and their relationship evolved from unfamiliarity and estrangement to familiarity and friendship. This process also mirrored the gradual integration of Chinese archaeology into the world and the growing global understanding of Chinese civilization. The collection of letters serves as a witness to this ongoing historical narrative.